Riding the horse first, Datou and others galloped behind. It was late afternoon, and there were not many pedestrians on the street, but Miss Bai's huge figure and low-flying wings still attracted the attention of passers-by.

When they reached the corner of the street, Yang Kai shook his head and caught up, "Your Majesty, is it appropriate for us to go to the palace now?"

Yang Kai is usually taciturn and usually doesn't speak easily. When he heard what he said, he reined in his horse and slowed down, waiting for him to continue.

Yang Kai said, "My lord, Master Zhang is an expert, mature and prudent. If he hadn't been so angry that he would never have done anything to the people in the household department. Now that Master Zhang is angry, if he is blocked from entering the palace, I'm afraid I won't be able to help but take action. If we rush to the palace at this time, will we be criticized for joining forces with Master Zhang to force him to the palace?"

I was also angry at first and didn't think much about it. After hearing what Yang Kai said, I realized the seriousness of the problem and hurriedly reined in my horse and slowed down, frowning and thinking.

Seeing the pause, Shi Xuanming also spoke up and said, "What Yang Kai said makes sense. The civil servants headed by Qian Zhonglin have always been afraid that we would join forces with Master Zhang to rebel. Master Zhang was originally fighting in Hanzhong, but we are far away in Shenzhou in the northeast. We actually returned to Chang'an at the same time. No one would believe this was a coincidence. They would all think that we were in secret contact with Zhenren Zhang and came back together to force him to plead guilty."

The boss at the top also heard what Yang Kai and Shi Xuanming said, "Damn it, why is this so awkward? If we also go to the palace, it does seem to have been discussed in advance. They have been slandering us and Mr. Zhang wears a pair of trousers, and if we go there, we will be convicted."

Qian Zhonglin was the murderer behind the murder of the nuns in Shifang Nunnery. Yu Yi hated this man deeply. If she hadn't been worried about causing trouble, she would have killed Qian Zhonglin long ago. But now that Datou and others were hesitant, she didn't He said angrily, "We are back. Even if we don't go to the palace, we can't avoid suspicion."

After everyone expressed their opinions, they didn't answer immediately. What Datou and others said made sense. This matter was indeed too coincidental. They both returned to Chang'an on the same day as Zhang Shan, and they both came back angrily to ask questions. From anyone's perspective, this matter seemed to have been discussed in advance. Zhang Shan and himself were both dispatched military generals and were not around the emperor on weekdays. The civil servants headed by Qian Zhonglin must have said bad things about them in private. As the saying goes. Three people make a tiger. The emperor is already suspicious, and with the civil servants saying bad things one after another, he will definitely doubt himself and Zhang Shan over time. If he rushes to the palace with Zhang Shan at this time, it is equivalent to telling the emperor that he and Zhang Shan They are indeed a group.

If it were anyone else, there would be two choices at this time. One is to be upright and not be afraid of the shadows, and run directly to the palace to support

Zhang Zhenren. The second option is to temporarily suppress his anger and watch on the sidelines to avoid suspicion. But both options have drawbacks. After thinking anxiously, he thought of another way, pulled the reins and turned, "Let's go to the Criminal Department."

Although he did not explain to everyone why he went to the Punishment Department, everyone on his side understood why he went to the Punishment Department. Zhang Zhenzhen came to the Hubu Department undoubtedly because of the shortage of food and grass in the camp, and everyone on his side went to the Punishment Department because the veterans from the Western Regions were convicted and imprisoned. Zhan, although both parties returned to Chang'an, they were not doing it for the same thing. Even if it was spread out afterwards, there would still be reasonable excuses.

The officials of the Tang Dynasty continued the three-province and six-ministry system of the previous dynasty. The three provinces of Zhongshu, Menxia, ​​and Shangshu worked in the palace, while the six departments of officials, punishment, soldiers, households, workers, and rites all worked in the inner city, and the offices were separated from each other.

It wasn't far away, and after crossing a few streets, the group arrived at the entrance of the Xingbu Yamen.

A large number of official documents were delivered from various places in the Sixth Department every day. The postmen and postmen were all on horseback. Therefore, when they heard the sound of horse hooves, the yamen at the entrance of the Criminal Department were still discussing where the postman came from. He was so ignorant of the rules that he rode his horse at a fast pace.

, but when a group of people came to the door, they immediately understood that the person coming was not the postman, because the postman could not have such a good mount, and the momentum of these people was far beyond that of the postman.

While waiting for the men to stand up and dismount, Datou announced from a high place, "Prince Zhongyong has arrived, and Xiao Cunzhi, the Minister of Punishment, has come out to meet him."

Da Tou yelled, so there was no need to announce one's home. Hearing Da Tou shout loudly, the government officials at the door panicked instantly. One of them turned around and ran in to report, while the rest of the people knelt down to pay respect.

He waved his hand to the yamen guarding the door, then stood at the door of the yamen, waiting for the Minister of Punishment to come out and speak. At the same time, he thought quickly in his mind that everyone coming to the Punishment Department was just a formality, because the death penalty approval of those veterans was not from the Punishment Department.

Instead, it was reported to the Menxia Province, which was finally approved by the Menxia Province. However, the process still had to go, and we couldn't just rush into the palace and drag Qian Zhonglin out.

Liubu Tang officials usually sit in the court, but when they are in office, they are not in tune and often cannot be found.

It didn't take long for Xiao Cunzhi to run out with a group of subordinates. It turned out that the Minister of Punishment and Yang Fugong were in the same group. After the fall of the eunuch party, he was beheaded by the guilty party. Xiao Cunzhi was the successor. After he came to power, he had beheaded imperial prisoners together with him.

Considered a half-acquaintance.

It's a prince, even if he's a prince

When a high-ranking official saw him, he had to kneel down and bow down. However, as the Minister of the Ministry of Justice was only in the third rank, he naturally had to kneel down and bow down, saying, "Xiao Cunzhi, the lower official, pays homage to the prince, who is a thousand years old."

Facing the officials from the Ministry of Punishment, he did not order them to kneel down and bow down. Instead, he said in a cold voice, "It's rare that Mr. Xiao still remembers me."

Putting aside the moral character of an official, as long as he can become an official, his mind must be adequate. Seeing his cold expression and poor speech, Xiao Cunzhi immediately understood why he came and said eagerly, "I know that the prince will come sooner or later.

Invite the prince and the four generals to come in and serve tea."

Hearing Xiao Cunzhi's words, his heart felt a little lighter. The implication of Xiao Cunzhi's words was that he knew he would definitely come and why he came. Since he still had the nerve to let him in for tea, it meant that this person definitely didn't do everything right.

I won't be embarrassed to see him.

"Wait for me outside," Chong Yu and others spoke, then quickly stepped forward to help Xiao Cunzhi up, "Master Xiao, please get up quickly, all the adults, please get up too."

Xiao Cunzhi didn't waste any time. After standing up, he immediately ordered his men to greet Yu Yi and others, then turned sideways and raised his hand, asking to go first.

As soon as he stepped up the steps, he heard a muffled sound coming from the east. Although the sound was not loud, he could tell that it was the energy explosion caused by the master's palm. He frowned and looked east, and sure enough he found two deep purple streaks.

The color disappeared in a flash.

The place where the complexion appeared was in front of the palace gate. The flash of two deep purple complexions showed that two Taixuan masters had just exchanged palms, but the two did not continue to attack.

Zhang Shan had already rushed to the palace before. As expected, one of the two dark purple complexions just now came from Zhang Shan. This shows that Zhang Shan failed to enter the palace, but was blocked from the palace gate.

Seeing that Zhang Shan was already involved with others, he felt anxious in his heart, so he quickly walked up the steps and went to the main hall with Xiao Cunzhi.

Xiao Cunzhi didn't talk nonsense, and immediately whispered when there was no one around, "Your Majesty, in recent days, more than a dozen official documents related to General Guide and his subordinates have been handed in from various places. I know that General Yao and others are The prince also found that there were many strange things in the files he brought back from the desert, and it seemed that someone was maliciously harming him, so he tried to delay it as long as possible, trying to delay it until the autumn. However, the subordinate minister issued a message to urge him, and the lower official had no choice but to go to the imperial court. Submitted for transfer, I never thought that all the provinces would approve the death penalty. The reply was forwarded to the Ministry of Punishment, and the lower officials delayed it as long as they could. To date, only two death penalty approvals have been issued that have reached the deadline, and one has been sent to the Northeast Province. to Shenzhou, one to Zizhou on Jiannan Road, and the remaining more than a dozen official documents

None of them have been sent out.”

Hearing Xiao Cunzhi's words, he felt relieved, "Thank you, Mr. Xiao, for your reply. To be honest, I rushed back from Shenzhou. I have rescued those seven people. When was the reply sent to Zizhou sent? How many people were involved in the case?" "

"It was sent out on the eighth day of last month. The three people involved in the case have probably been executed by now," Xiao Cunzhi sighed, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I may have spoken lightly, but I have really tried my best."

"Master Xiao's words are serious. Even so, I can't thank you enough." At this point, I heard the sound of anger coming from the east again. "I won't thank you for your kindness. Master Xiao, I will go to the palace first." , you should withhold the remaining reply messages and never send them out again."

"Okay." Xiao Cunzhi nodded seriously.

At this time, the two of them had not yet entered the main hall. They had finished talking about the business and did not continue walking north. Instead, they turned around and returned, walking quickly.

Xiao Cunzhi trotted behind him, "Your Majesty, there have been many changes in the court situation in recent times. You should be more careful."

"Is Qian Zhonglin taking charge of Menxia Province again?" he asked casually.

"Yes," Xiao Cunzhi nodded, "The emperor has great trust in him. Recently, all the affairs of the court and the central government have been handled by the Ministry of Menxia. Even the important matter of moving the capital has been handled by the Ministry of Menxia."

Hearing Xiao Cunzhi's words, he frowned, stopped and turned around, "Move the capital? Move anything?"

"The emperor has decided to move the capital from Chang'an to Luoyang." Xiao Cunzhi said in a low voice.

"You live well in Chang'an, why do you want to move the capital?" You are so angry. No wonder the money is gone. It turns out that it was used to move the capital. Moving the capital is not a trivial matter. It can be said to be nerve-wracking. All the palaces and yamen are in trouble. It needs to be rebuilt, which will cost a lot of money.

Xiao Cunzhi frowned and shook his head, "I don't know if you are a lower official."

At this time, there were frequent dull sounds of gas explosions from the east, indicating that Zhang Shan had already engaged the palace guards. He was so anxious that he did not bother to talk to Xiao Cunzhi. He hurriedly said goodbye and rushed to the palace with Datou and others.

Shaking the reins and urging the horse, Datou and the others did not speak either. As a former Yushitai official, everyone is familiar with the criminal law and knows the nature of fighting against the imperial guards. The imperial guards are responsible for defending the imperial city, attacking the imperial guards and other conspiracies.

.
Chapter completed!